1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention pertains to the general field of display cases commonly found within supermarkets and other areas where products are maintained on display for purchase. The present invention more particularly pertains to the refrigerated class of such display cases to facilitate display of products which must be cooled while displayed such as milk, ice cream and other frozen or refrigerated products. The present invention most particularly deals with the field of refrigerated display cases having multiple curtains of air designed to flow in a laminar fashion over an opened front area thereof such as to maintain the products therein under controlled temperature and moisture conditions and yet still allow ready access to the products located therein.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Examples of prior art configurations utilizing refrigerated display cases with ducts for air flow and air curtain control are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,463,614 patented Mar. 8, 1949 to H. W. Harding for an Open-Top Display Refrigerator; U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,554 patented Jan. 24, 1950 to G. E. Spangler on an Open Top Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 2,594,066 patented Apr. 22, 1952 to R. E. Pabst on a Two-Decker Dairy Self-Service Refrigerator; U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,684 patented Mar. 10, 1953 to M. H. Strang on a Refrigerated Multiple Shelf Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,992 patented Sept. 20, 1960 to D. A. Voorhies on a Refrigerated Shelf; U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,349 patented July 25, 1961 to W. H. Detwiler on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,796 patented Sept. 17, 1963 to E. V. Dickson et al on a Refrigeration System; U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,185 patented June 1, 1965 to G. K. Bently et al on a Refrigerated Display Unit; U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,475 patented Jan. 18, 1966 to J. Balk et al on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,736 patented Feb. 21, 1967 to J. H. Brennan et al on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,740 patented Feb. 21, 1967 to E. V. Dickson et al on an Open Front Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,908 patented Jan. 30, 1968 to M. D. MacMaster on a Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,375 patented Feb. 20, 1968 to L. J. Gerweck et al on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,295 patented March 10, 1970 to J. H. Brennan on a Refrigeration System; U.S. Pat. No. 3,501,925 patented Mar. 24, 1970 to J. H. Brennan et al on Refrigerated Equipment; U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,526 patented June 30, 1970 to M. D. MacMaster et al on Refrigerated Equipment; U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,258 patented Sept. 15, 1970 to J. H. Brennan on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,945 patented Oct. 6, 1970 to J. H. Brennan on Constant Temperature Refrigerated Equipment; U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,440 patented July 11, 1972 to F. Ibrahim on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,653 patented Aug. 7, 1973 to J. Henry on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,038 patented Sept. 4, 1973 to M. MacMaster et al on Refrigerated Display Equipment; U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,254 patented Aug. 6, 1974 to M. MacMaster et al on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,228 patented March 7, 1978 to N. Schumacher et al on a Refrigerated Display Case; U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,463 patented Mar. 16, 1982 to H. Ljung on a Refrigerated Display Chest; U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,631 patented March 23, 1982 to J. Vana on an Air Defrost For Low-Bed Refrigerated Display Cases, Utilizing Sill-Mounted Auxiliary Fan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,209 patented June 3, 1986 to G. Casanova on a Display Counter For Food Products, Refrigerated By Forced Ventilation and U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,335 patented June 14, 1988 to G. Wallace et al on an Anti-Condensation Means For Glass Front Display Cases.